Colorado State Highway 61
Encyclopedia
State Highway 61 is a 40.8 mi (65.7 km) long state highway
in northeastern Colorado
.
at the south side of Otis
. It begins straight northward through town, in which roads are laid out in a grid-like pattern. The road then exits the town, entering sparsely populated wilderness. Near the Washington
- Logan
county line, the road abruptly turns westward and eastward again, crossing the boundary a few miles later. It then again turns abruptly westward, this time to meet its north end at Interstate 76 concurrent with U.S. Route 6
east of Sterling
.
near Cope
to US 38 (former) near Sterling
. When U.S. Route 38 was moved around 1930, the terminus was redefined as SH 154, which took its place. The section from its current terminus at Otis
to US 36 was deleted and the northern terminus was adjusted to U.S. Route 6
, which later became Interstate 76, in 1954. The route was entirely paved three years later.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destination
!Notes
|-
|Washington
|Otis
|0.000
|
|South end of route
|-
|Logan
|
|40.993
|
|North end of route
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in northeastern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
Route description
SH 61 begins at an at-grade intersection with U.S. Route 34U.S. Route 34 in Colorado
U.S. Route 34 in Colorado is a segment of U.S. Route 34. Its west end is at U.S. Route 40 in Granby and its east end is at the Nebraska border east of Laird, Colorado.-Route description:-Granby to Rocky Mountain National Park:...
at the south side of Otis
Otis, Colorado
Otis is a Statutory Town in Washington County, Colorado, United States. The population was 534 at the 2000 census.-History:Otis was established in 1883 as a stop on the Burlington rail line...
. It begins straight northward through town, in which roads are laid out in a grid-like pattern. The road then exits the town, entering sparsely populated wilderness. Near the Washington
Washington County, Colorado
Washington County is the 12th most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 4,926 at U.S. Census 2000. The county was named in honor of the United States President George Washington...
- Logan
Logan County, Colorado
Logan County is the 23rd most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for General John A. Logan. The county population was 20,504 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Sterling...
county line, the road abruptly turns westward and eastward again, crossing the boundary a few miles later. It then again turns abruptly westward, this time to meet its north end at Interstate 76 concurrent with U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
east of Sterling
Sterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
.
History
The road was established in the 1920s, when it connected U.S. Route 36U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to Uhrichsville, Ohio. The highway's western terminus is at Deer Ridge Junction, an intersection in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, where it meets U.S. Route 34. Its eastern...
near Cope
Cope, Colorado
Cope is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Washington County, Colorado, United States. The Cope Post Office has the ZIP Code 80812....
to US 38 (former) near Sterling
Sterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
. When U.S. Route 38 was moved around 1930, the terminus was redefined as SH 154, which took its place. The section from its current terminus at Otis
Otis, Colorado
Otis is a Statutory Town in Washington County, Colorado, United States. The population was 534 at the 2000 census.-History:Otis was established in 1883 as a stop on the Burlington rail line...
to US 36 was deleted and the northern terminus was adjusted to U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
, which later became Interstate 76, in 1954. The route was entirely paved three years later.
Major intersections
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destination
!Notes
|-
|Washington
Washington County, Colorado
Washington County is the 12th most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 4,926 at U.S. Census 2000. The county was named in honor of the United States President George Washington...
|Otis
Otis, Colorado
Otis is a Statutory Town in Washington County, Colorado, United States. The population was 534 at the 2000 census.-History:Otis was established in 1883 as a stop on the Burlington rail line...
|0.000
|
|South end of route
|-
|Logan
Logan County, Colorado
Logan County is the 23rd most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for General John A. Logan. The county population was 20,504 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Sterling...
|
|40.993
|
|North end of route